BOSSES of the blood donor service were left feeling drained after being locked out from their regular venue.

Staff from the Blood Service North West turned up at the Deva Mail and Social Club in Station Road, Chester, expecting to run two sessions only to find the place shut.

Staff from local companies including Bank of Scotland, Royal Mail, Chester Railway Station and Lookers garage were primed to give blood.

Fortunately, the Queen Hotel in City Road stepped in at the last minute and agreed to provide a room so the two sessions could be held on Tuesday last week and the next day as well.

Penny Richardson, blood service regional communication manager, said: 'The Royal Mail Club should have been open. We certainly won't be going there again.

'Our job is to make sure there is enough safe blood for patients. If we are let down then our supplies are affected. Blood doesn't last forever and there are only five days stock nationwide.'

Chris Bacon of the Deva Mail and Social Club explained that confusion had arisen because of a change in management at the club.

He said: 'It's been taken over by new management and it had been double booked by the old management.'

Mr Bacon denied the social club was locked up when blood service staff turned up.

'I arrived to open up and we put a notice on the door to tell people to go to the Queen Hotel,' he said.

Mrs Richardson said everybody at the Queen Hotel had been helpful in stepping in at the 11th hour.

She added that about a dozen staff members from the Queen Hotel agreed to give blood. She said the National Blood Service was a non-profit making trust within the NHS.

Blood was needed by patients brought into casualty when they had been injured in, for example, a car accident.

In addition, it was needed by people suffering from cancer and leukaemia who have to have regular donations of platelets. Recently, the Queen Mother received a blood transfusion after she was found to be anaemic.

Richard Cossey, Queen Hotel general manager, said: 'They were let down at the last minute and they are a worthwhile cause. We were in the fortunate position that we were able to help.'

The next city centre blood donor sessions are at Chester Guildhall on Wednesday, September 26 and again on Wednesday, November 7, between 2-4pm and 5.30-7.30pm.

There will also be two sessions at Christleton Parish Hall, Pepper Street, Christleton, between 2- 4pm on and 5.30- 7.30pm on Friday, October 12.